Subacute cadmium exposure modulates Th1 polarization to trigger ER stress-induced porcine hepatocyte apoptosis via regulation of miR-369-TNFα axis

Abstract Acetaminophen (APAP) overdose is a major cause of acute liver failure. Peripheral 5-hydroxytryptamine (serotonin, 5-HT) is a cytoprotective neurotransmitter which is also involved in the hepatic physiological and pathological process. This study seeks to investigate the mechanisms involved in APAP-induced hepatotoxicity, as well as the role of 5-HT in the liver's response to APAP toxicity. We induced APAP hepatotoxicity in mice either sufficient of serotonin (wild-type mice and TPH1-/- plus 5- Hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP)) or lacking peripheral serotonin (Tph1-/- and wild-type mice plus p-chlorophenylalanine (PCPA)).Mice with sufficient 5-HT exposed to acetaminophen have a significantly lower mortality rate and a better outcome compared with mice deficient of 5-HT. This difference is at least partially attributable to a decreased level of inflammation, oxidative stress and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, Glutathione (GSH) depletion, peroxynitrite formation, hepatocyte apoptosis, elevated hepatocyte proliferation, activation of 5-HT2B receptor, less activated c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase (JNK) and hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1α in the mice sufficient of 5-HT versus mice deficient of 5-HT. We thus propose a physiological function of serotonin that serotonin could ameliorate APAP-induced liver injury mainly through inhibiting hepatocyte apoptosis ER stress and promoting liver regeneration.

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Inhibition of eIF2α Dephosphorylation Protects Hepatocytes from Apoptosis by Alleviating ER Stress in Acute Liver Injury

BioMed Research International ◽

10.1155/2020/2626090 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 2020 ◽

pp. 1-16

Author(s):

Yong-Jing Tang ◽

Huan Chen ◽

Yu Yi ◽

Gui-Mei Chen ◽

Fang-Wan Yang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Liver Injury ◽

Er Stress ◽

Acute Liver Injury ◽

Initiation Factor ◽

Calcium Balance ◽

Hepatocyte Apoptosis ◽

Protein Kinase R ◽

Chemical Chaperone ◽

Initiation Factor 2 ◽

Phenylbutyric Acid

Objectives. Protein kinase R-like ER kinase (PERK)/eukaryotic initiation factor 2 alpha (eIF2α) is an important factor along the main pathways for endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress-mediated apoptosis. In this study, we investigated the effects of eIF2α phosphorylation on hepatocyte apoptosis and the ER stress mechanisms in acute liver injury. Methods. eIF2α phosphorylation and apoptosis under ER stress were monitored and measured in male BALB/c mice with acute liver injury and human hepatocyte line LO2 cells. Results. Carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) administration triggered ER stress and hepatocyte apoptosis, as well as eIF2α phosphorylation in mice. Inhibition of eIF2α dephosphorylation, as the pretreatment with 4-phenylbutyric acid (chemical chaperone, ER stress inhibitor), mitigated CCl4-induced intrahepatic ER stress, apoptosis, and liver injury. In an ER stress model of LO2 cells induced by thapsigargin (disrupting ER calcium balance), inhibition of eIF2α dephosphorylation reduced ER stress and apoptosis, while PERK knockdown reduced eIF2α phosphorylation and exacerbated ER stress and apoptosis. Conclusions. eIF2α phosphorylation is one of the mechanisms employed by ER stress for restoring cellular homeostasis. Inhibition of eIF2α dephosphorylation mitigates hepatocyte apoptosis by alleviating ER stress in acute liver injuries.

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Chronic Carbon Tetrachloride Applications Induced Hepatocyte Apoptosis in Lipocalin 2 Null Mice through Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress and Unfolded Protein Response

International Journal of Molecular Sciences ◽

10.3390/ijms21155230 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 21 (15) ◽

pp. 5230

Author(s):

Erawan Borkham-Kamphorst ◽

Ute Haas ◽

Eddy Van de Leur ◽

Anothai Trevanich ◽

Ralf Weiskirchen

Keyword(s):

Endoplasmic Reticulum ◽

Carbon Tetrachloride ◽

Liver Injury ◽

Er Stress ◽

Stress Responses ◽

Protein Glycosylation ◽

Initiation Factor ◽

Wild Type ◽

Hepatocyte Apoptosis ◽

Unfolded Protein

The lack of Lipocalin (LCN2) provokes overwhelming endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress responses in vitro and in acute toxic liver injury models, resulting in hepatocyte apoptosis. LCN2 is an acute phase protein produced in hepatocytes in response to acute liver injuries. In line with these findings we investigated ER stress responses of Lcn2−/− mice in chronic ER stress using a long-term repetitive carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) injection model. We found chronic CCl4 application to enhance ER stress and unfolded protein responses (UPR), including phosphorylation of eukaryotic initiation factor 2α (eIF2α), increased expression of binding immunoglobulin protein (BiP) and glucose-regulated protein 94 (GRP94). IRE1α/TRAF2/JNK signaling enhanced mitochondrial apoptotic pathways, and showed slightly higher in Lcn2−/− mice compared to the wild type counterparts, leading to increased hepatocyte apoptosis well evidenced by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) staining. Hepatocyte injuries were confirmed by significant high serum alanine transaminase (ALT) levels in CCl4-treated Lcn2−/− mice. Lcn2−/− mice furthermore developed mild hepatic steatosis, supporting our finding that ER stress promotes lipogenesis. In a previous report we demonstrated that the pharmacological agent tunicamycin (TM) induced ER stress through altered protein glycosylation and induced high amounts of C/EBP-homologous protein (CHOP), resulting in hepatocyte apoptosis. We compared TM-induced ER stress in wild type, Lcn2−/−, and Chop null (Chop−/−) primary hepatocytes and found Chop−/− hepatocytes to attenuate ER stress responses and resist ER stress-induced hepatocyte apoptosis through canonical eIF2α/GADD34 signaling, inhibiting protein synthesis. Unexpectedly, in later stages of TM incubation, Chop−/− hepatocytes resumed activation of IRE1α/JNK/c-Jun and p38/ATF2 signaling, leading to late hepatocyte apoptosis. This interesting observation indicates Chop−/− mice to be unable to absolutely prevent all types of liver injury, while LCN2 protects the hepatocytes by maintaining homeostasis under ER stress conditions.

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